Portable work station and data collection terminal including switchable multi purpose touch screen display

ABSTRACT

A portable data collection terminal has an elongate housing with a hand grip conforming rear surface. A front surface features a numerical keyboard adjacent a lower end of the housing and an LCD screen adjacent the keyboard toward an upper end of the housing. The display screen is of elongate rectangular shape, its length extending longitudinally of the housing of the data terminal. The active area of the display screen is covered by a touch sensitive overlay screen which is configured in one mode of operation of the data terminal into an alphabetical keyboard. The orientation of the display is switchable between orientations in which the line direction of the displayed data extends across or longitudinally of the data terminal. The keys of the numerical keyboard are identified by indicia disposed on a template. The orientation of the template may be sensed to switch the orientation of the displayed data and touch sensitive key identifiers to correspond to the orientation of the indicia on the template. As a further embodiment an electromagnetic activation by a pen may be used to enter data into a data terminal. Power saving shutdown extends the battery life of the data terminal. A shutdown mode permits resumption of operations by depression of a key.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

(Claiming Benefit Under 35 U.S.C. 120)

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application U.S.Ser. No. 08/048,873, filed Apr. 16, 1993, which is acontinuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No. 07/948,034, filed Sep.21, 1992, abandoned, by Phillip Miller et al., which is a continuationof U.S. Ser. No. 07/347,602, filed May 3, 1989, by Phillip Miller etal., now abandoned, which is a C.I.P. of Ser. No. 346,771 filed May 2,1989, abandoned and a continuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No.08/023,840, filed Feb. 26, 1993, abandoned, by Arvin D. Danielson,Darrell L. Boatwright, Darald R. Schultz, Rickey G. Austin, and DennisSilva, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/728,667,filed Jul. 11, 1991, abandoned, by Arvin D. Danielson, Darrell L.Boatwright and Darald R. Schultz.

Reference is also made to the following related application U.S. Ser.No. 08/005,324, filed Jan. 15, 1993, by George E. Chadima Jr. et al.,which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/549,298, filed Jul. 5, 1990,now U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,232, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.Ser. No. 07/216,868, filed Jul. 8, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 315,573,and a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/227,195, filed Aug. 2,1988, now abandoned, and a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No.07/347,602, filed May 3, 1989, now abandoned, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/346,771, filed May 2, 1989, nowabandoned.

Priority under 35 U.S.C. 119

This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 in PCTapplication PCT/US94/02091, filed on behalf of the assignee of thisapplication on Feb. 28, 1994.

Incorporation By Reference

The descriptive subject matter, found in 65 pages of specification,claims, an Abstract of the disclosure and 11 sheets of drawings, of theabove referenced copending application for patent, U.S. Ser. No.08/048,873, filed Apr. 16, 1993, is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to data collection and processingsystems and more particularly to portable data terminals as operatormanipulatable data input and output devices with display andverification of data.

The invention herein is a further improvement of related subject mattercontained in the cross-referenced prior patent applications, which priorpatent applications are relied upon for priority rights in previouslydescribed novel features.

Portable data terminals are generally known components of state of theart business systems. The data terminals may be taken to merchandisestorage facilities for inventory control or customer servicetransactions, or may be used in any one of various other commercialapplications to serve as data input or output devices for central dataprocessing and control stations.

Central data processing or control stations are most useful whenbusiness data are always current and readily available. Prompt dataentry and retrieval at the working level through various operatorcontrolled portable data terminals is recognized as a basis foroptimizing, among various business activities, inventory control andcustomer service activities, business forecasting and marketingoperations, to name just a few.

Increased versatility in data input and output arrangements tends toincrease power usage of the portable data terminals, thereby decreasingusage periods between battery exchanges or recharging operations. Touchsensitive or pen actuated data input systems are known. However, in thepast, such pen actuated data input systems were generally limited to theuse of pens for digitizer boards or in conjunction with full keyboardtype computer terminals. While the former devices are considered limitedin their application, the latter are comparatively bulky, even as laptop computers, and are not useful for practical data entry and retrievalin shop, warehouse, store or delivery route environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention was early on to expand on theutility of relatively small, portable, hand-held data collectionterminals. The invention recognizes a need for greater versatility inhand-held data terminals, thereby improving indirectly an overallusefulness of a business system which uses a number of these dataterminals as roaming data input and retrieval devices.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improvedcompact data input and display device with increased functionality.

It is another object of the invention to arrange an alphanumerickeyboard for multi orientational use.

Further in accordance herewith, it is an object of the invention toprovide a pen-activated data input device which interactively may beprompted through display screen prompts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a robust data terminalhaving a display screen sized to permit operator input via pen strokesand having the capability to change to keyboard entries interchangeablywith entry via pen-type signals.

Yet another object of the invention is a power management controlfunction implemented through software controlled microprocessorfunctions, the power management function including selectively shuttingthe data terminal down without loss of current data interchange statusstates on an Input-Output bus (I/O Bus).

According to one aspect of the invention, it is consequentlycontemplated to increase the data input capacity of a portable dataterminal with a touch sensitive liquid crystal display overlay. Thetouch sensitive display overlay may function as a keyboard or as aprovision for entering graphic data such as signatures. Another keyboardmay be a numerical keyboard or may be activated as a function keyboardto supplement a touch sensitive keyboard implemented as an overlay of adisplay screen.

In a particular embodiment in accordance with the invention, keys of thetouch sensitive keyboard of the display screen of the portable dataterminal may be selectively reorientable with respect to the dataterminal. In accordance with a particular feature of the invention, thekeys or key areas of the touch sensitive keyboard are reoriented byswitching key assignment areas within the touch sensitive display screenand by reorienting indicia within each of the switched touch sensitiveareas of the board to change the orientation of the indicia tocorrespond to a change orientation of the keyboard of the touchsensitive area.

Further in accordance with the invention, a keyboard is disposedadjacent a display screen of a portable data terminal in a frontal faceof the data terminal. The keyboard includes an array of keys, each keyhaving an assigned function, and an array of indicia identifying thefunction of each of the keys of the array. The array of indicia isdisposed on a matrix removably attachable to the frontal face of thedata terminal. The array of indicia may be removed and replaced byanother array of indicia, showing reassigned functions of each of thekeys, and the functions of the respective keys are reassigned inaccordance with such other array of indicia. Alternatively, molded keysmay include permanent indicia which display functions inherent todefault settings of a data terminal.

Also according to the present invention, a data terminal has a displayscreen and graphic data input surface coincident with and disposedbeneath the display screen. Data input into the graphic data inputsurface may be obtained either via an electromagnetic pen, also referredto as an active pen, or via a touch sensitive screen via a pointedobject, such as a stylus.

Further in accordance herewith, the data terminal includes operationshadowing circuits which include a function of shadowing Input-Output(I/O) device states and a function of storing microprocessor registerstates during a shutdown procedure. Pursuant to the shadowing andmicroprocessor register storage, the data terminal may be shut down andre-activated without loss of control or I/O status data and with theability to complete an operation in progress during the time of shutdownof the data terminal.

Further in accordance herewith, a data terminal includes a shock andweather resistant housing and a keyboard orientation with respect to adisplay screen which causes an included angle to protect both thekeyboard and the display screen from contact with a flat hard bottomsurface during a fall of the data terminal against such surface.Co-molding of shock absorbing material to the surface of the housingdistributes impact forces to which the data terminal may be exposed as aresult of a fall. In a preferred embodiment, resilient sealing stripsinterposed between access covers and the housing provide aweather-sealed housing.

In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, a housing of thedata terminal includes top and bottom or base housing shells. The basehousing shell is an accessory base and has a central accessoryattachment opening. The accessory attachment opening or accessory podopening may by covered by a removable base cover when no accessory podsare attached. A base cover in accordance herewith is in a shape of amulti-function handgrip or terminal grip and stabilizer. The handgripcomprises a longitudinally centered concave, transversely peakedstabilizer shape with dual, laterally offset, symmetrical handgripridges with palmrest indentations for alternatively left and right handgripping functions. The dual handgrip ridges include co-molded ribbingwhich also provides impact resistance. The removable base cover may beexchanged for an accessory pod which is centrally disposed,symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the housingof the data terminal. The accessory pod has a width transverse to thelongitudinal axis which is less than the transverse width of the dataterminal, the accessory pod including a handgrip portion by which anoperator may hold the data terminal while operating the data terminal.

A handstrap may be attached to upper and lower ends of the base housingshell. The handstrap has a split loop attachment to the lower housingshell. The split loop attachment straddles a docking latch eye disposedon the base housing shell. The docking latch eye engages a latch hook ona dock when the data terminal is inserted into a docking device.Co-molded material disposed on the top housing shell of the dataterminal cooperates with the latch eye to retain resilient pressure onthe latch hook for retaining surface contacts on the data terminal incontact with mating spring contacts of the docking device while the dataterminal remains inserted into the docking device.

Contacts in each of transverse rows of surface contacts disposed at alower end of the base housing shell are transversely groupwise staggeredand longitudinally overlap with the contacts of the other, adjacentgroup to provide a wider contact surface for engaging spring contacts ofa docking device, when the respective data terminal is inserted into adocking receptacle of the docking device. The invention contemplates asingle-receptacle docking device and a multi-cavity or multi-receptacledocking device. The data terminal as well as the docking devices featureEthernet as well as RS-232 or compatible or equivalent LAN (Local AreaNetwork) communications provisions.

The base cover of the data terminal is exchangeable for any of a numberof other bases or base pods, each base having a particular one of anumber of desirable accessory features. At least one of the base pods iscontemplated to include a scanner for reading indicia which may bedisposed on a surface external and separate from the data terminal. Thescanner may, for example, be a bar code scanner. An operator may insertfingers or a portion of the hand between the housing and one of thehandstrap provisions to retain the unit by friction between the hand andthe strap.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent when the detailed description below is read in reference to theappended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description refers numerically to elements shown in thedrawing wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a pictorial frontal view of a data terminal showing a topshell of a housing with a touch sensitive display screen in combinationwith a keyboard in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows a pictorial view of an underside of the data terminal shownin FIG. 1, showing a bottom or base shell of the housing of the dataterminal, and showing a handstrap and various other features of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 shows the data terminal shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and showingfurther an accessory pod in place of a combination handgrip base plate;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of a docking device with a dockingcavity for receiving and removably retaining the data terminal shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 3 during storage, data transfer or battery chargingoperations;

FIG. 5 is a partial, pictorial view of the data terminal shown in FIGS.1, 2 and 3, showing a lower end of the base shell of the housing of thedata terminal in greater detail;

FIG. 6 is a schematically simplified partial view of the data terminalshowing the lower end of the base shell of the data terminal of FIGS. 1,2 and 3, and illustrating particularly an offset of one row of surfacecontacts with respect to a second row;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a mold to illustrate a firststep in a co-molding process;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a mold to illustrate a secondstep in a co-molding process;

FIG. 9 is a pictorial representation of a multi-cavity docking devicefor data terminals in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 10 is a simplified pictorial representation of the docking deviceshown in FIG. 9, showing an underside of the docking device with a cableconnector recess in a housing of the docking device;

FIG. 11 is a composite pictorial representation of the inside of thebase shell of the housing of the data terminal depicted in FIGS. 1, 2and 3, showing major strutural elements which are included in a baseshell assembly and illustrating further a preferred assembly withselected hardware of the base shell assembly;

FIG. 12 is a composite pictorial representation of the base shell of thehousing and such components as shown in FIG. 11, yet viewing theexternal surface of the base housing shell and showing the relatedcomponents in a correspondingly oriented view;

FIG. 13 is a composite pictorial representation of the interior of theupper housing shell of the data terminal depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,showing components that become assembled to the upper shell of thehousing of the data terminal in accordance herewith;

FIG. 14 is a composite pictorial representation or exploded view of thedata terminal depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, illustrating an assembly ofthe base shell assembly to the top shell assembly, and showing furthercomponents of the respective data terminal including a PCMCIA memorycard and memory card cavity and battery cavity covers;

FIG. 15 is a composite pictorial representation of the memory cardcavity cover, showing the interior surface of the cover in greaterdetail and showing elements of a door latch;

FIG. 16 is a composite pictorial representation of the memory cardcavity cover as in FIG. 15, but showing an exterior surface of the coveror door;

FIGS. 17 shows a composite pictorial view of the upper end of the dataterminal shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 showing battery and memory cardcavities open and showing simplified the shape of a battery about to beinserted into the battery cavity;

FIG. 18 shows a pictorial view of a handstrap which may be attached tothe data terminal as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 19 shows a pictorial view of a handstrap which may be attached tothe data terminal in lieu of the handstrap shown in FIG.18, thehandstrap showing an accessory pod straddling configuration;

FIG. 20 is a diagram of electronic circuits or functions which operatethe data terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 21 is a diagram of electronic functions of an input-output functionboard which may be coupled to an input-output function connector shownin FIG. 20, for example;

FIG. 22 is a control logic flow diagram of a sequence to be followedduring power up or power down operations of a data terminal according tothe invention;

FIG. 23 is a diagram of electronic functions of a communicationsinterface circuit block shown in FIG. 20;

FIG. 24 is a diagram of electronic routing within a control processormaster mode circuit function of the communications interface circuitblock depicted in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a sequencing diagram of functions executed by a controlprocessor operating in the control processor master mode upon itsinitiation through the communications interface circuit block; and

FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing a routing of address codes within thedata terminal upon a completed setup via the control processor mastermode function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a portable data collection terminal or data terminal whichis designated generally by the numeral 10. The data collection terminal10 is a handheld, portable unit, which is understood in the art as beingpowered by a self-contained power source. Such a portable data terminal10 may operate in what is referred to as a batch mode in which data arecollected by, and stored within, the data terminal 10 to be transferredto an alternate data processing unit or host computer (not shown) in acomprehensive "batch" type data transfer operation. In the alternative,the data terminal 10 may be in communication with such a host computerin an interactive or on-line mode via a data communications link, suchas a radio frequency transceiver arrangement or a cable-typecommunications connection.

The data terminal 10, as described herein and as viewed from above, hasan elongate, generally rectangularly shaped housing 12. The elongatehousing 12, preferably of a high-impact-strength plastic material,encases the data terminal 10. Various types of moldablehigh-impact-strength plastic materials are known and are generallyavailable. The pictorial representation of the data terminal 10 in FIG.1 depicts prominently a frontal shell or top shell 14 of the housing 12.A display screen 15 and a keyboard 16 are located, respectively, in anupper end portion 17 and a lower end portion 18 adjacent an upper end 19and a lower end 20 of the housing 12.

The display screen 15 is preferably a state of the art liquid crystaldisplay screen ("LCD screen"). State of the art LCD screens generallyemploy "double super twist" technology. This type of screen is found toprovide satisfactory viewing contrast under most direct lightingconditions. It is further possible and desirable to provide backlightingfor LCD screens. Power considerations relating to the portability of thedata terminal 10 may require a selective disablement or the ability toturn off a backlighting feature.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the LCD screen 15 is of a comparativelylarge size, occupying the upper end portion 17 of the frontal face ofthe top shell 14 except for longitudinal left and right boundary regions21 and 22 respectively which are molded gripping regions. Each of thegripping regions 21 and 22 features a longitudinal, sculptured fingergrip indentation 23 which extends longitudinally in parallel with leftand right-hand longitudinal edges 24 and 25 of the screen 15. Thekeyboard 16, being limited in size by the available area on the frontalshell 14, functions primarily as a "numerical" keyboard. However, cursormanipulation and menu based prompts facilitate a variety of dedicatedalpha-numeric information entry and retrieval.

The screen 15 has a rectangular, dot addressable display area 26 of 320(in width) by 480 (in length) pixels which are controlled to operate ina standard VGA display format with 16 gray scales. The referred tobacklighting is automatically temperature compensated to adjust fordifferences in luminescence over an expected range of temperatures. Atpresent, an operating range of -4 to +122 degrees Fahrenheit iscontemplated.

The keyboard 16 is in the preferred embodiment, a numeric 21-key tactilekeyboard. Keys 27 generally are color coded according to functions toset out and aid in distinguishing between various functions. Inaddition, four cursor keys are arranged in a direction-coordinatedcluster 28. When the cursor keys are used to manipulate variousalpha-numeric menu displays and prompts, the numeric keyboard inconjunction with text prompts appearing on the screen can direct anoperator in little time through complex inventory or order takingproblems. Data entry is further enhanced by a code reader or laserscanner 29 which may be disposed in an accessory pod 30 (as illustratedin FIG. 3, for example), or a comparable scanner may be coupled througha communications I/O port, as will become apparent from the overalldescription of the data terminal 10.

Data entry is further enhanced by a touch sensitive active screen area32 which is provided as an overlay to extend over the the entire area ofthe LCD screen 15. The touch sensitive active surface area 32 may beimplemented in a currently preferred manner, for example, either throughcapacitive-or resistive switching and sampling techniques to determinecoordinates of a point on the surface area 32 against which a contactpressure is exerted. The overlay area 32 is essentially transparent,such that information displayed on the screen 15 remains clearlydiscernible. The touch sensitive area 32 is, in the preferredembodiment, activated by a passive pen or stylus which may be used tocontact a single or a sequence of definable area locations to delineatepen-written data or information. The intelligent contents of informationentered via stylus may be interpreted by software contained within thedata terminal 10. Such software may include graphics programs or mayinclude OCR programs for character recognition. It would be possible,for example, that the touch sensitive active area 32 be selectivelyconfigured as a keyboard for manual input of alphabetical or specialcharacters. As a further advantageous alternative, software may provideonly part of the entire display screen 15 with special keys to betouch-activated by such a data input stylus. In a special case, dataprompts may be scrolled up or down on the screen 15 and may be activatedin the alternative by cursor positioning and depression of one of thekeys 27 to indicate that the selection has been chosen, or by beingtouched with the stylus to indicate a corresponding selection. Stylusclips 33 and 34 provide, in combination with a recessed stylus cavity, arecessed stylus holder 35 at the lower end of the data terminal 10.

FIG. 1 further shows a parting line 36 which extends peripherally aboutthe housing 12 of the data terminal 10. The parting line 36 constitutesa lower boundary of the top or frontal shell 14 and an upper boundary ofa bottom or base shell 37 of the housing 12. An assembly of the dataterminal 10 is facilitated by upper and lower subassemblies 38 and 39which are disposed in the upper housing shell 14 and the lower housingshell 37, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows the data terminal from its underside, showing prominentlythe base shell 37 of the housing 12. The pictorial view of the dataterminal 10 shown in FIG. 2 also shows the upper end 19 of the housing12. As can be seen, the parting line 36 between the frontal shell 14 andthe base shell 37 of the housing 12 is not continuous across the upperend 19 of the housing 12. Instead, the upper end 19 shows a battery door41 and a memory card door 42 both of which provide access to respectiveparts of the data terminal 10. The doors 41 and 42 are individuallyremovable, such that access may be gained through either without openingthe other. Each of the doors 41 and 42 features a quarter-turn quickrelease lock assembly 43. In the preferred embodiment, the quick releaselock assemblies 43 are identical to each other, even though the batterydoor 41 is somewhat shorter than the memory card door 42, as can beascertained from FIG. 2. A major body portion of the bottom shell 37features a continuation of evenly spaced transverse grooves 44 in thelateral gripping regions 21 and 22 of the frontal shell 14 (see FIG. 1).The transversely arranged grooves 44 may be looked upon as beingornamental, but the grooves also enhance the roughness of the respectivehousing shells, thereby providing a better grip adhesion to decrease arisk that the data terminal 10 accidentally slips from the grip hands ofan operator. Alternatively, the grooves 44 could be ridges. However, thegrooves 44 are preferred and more readily molded than such ridges. Theregions of both the upper and lower ends 19 and 20 show smoothlytextured surfaces which are comparatively more resilient, impact shockabsorbing rubber moldings. The doors 41 and 42 feature a rounded ridge46 which continues transversely adjacent the upper end 19 all around thehousing 12. Similarly impact resistant, resilient shock protectiveregions 47 and 48 of the base shell 37 and a corresponding shockprotective region 49 of the frontal shell 14 offer protective shieldingto the lower end 20 of the data terminal 20. In brief reference to FIGS.1 and 2, it is to be noted that the upper end portion 17 is disposed atan angle of about seven degrees with respect to the lower end portion18. The deviation of the two portions from a coextensive longitudinaldirection serves better operator access to both the LCD screen and thekeyboard 16, and the included angle between the two tends to positionthe LCD screen 15 away from damaging contact should the data terminal 10fall with the screen 15 facing down.

FIG. 2 shows centrally disposed on an underside 51 of the base shell 37a removable base cover or grip plate 52. The grip plate 52 is sculpturedsymmetrically about a central, longitudinal plane (shown as centerline53 in FIG. 6). The plane of symmetry should be visualized as cuttingperpendicularly through the center of the housing 12 and through theupper and lower ends 19 and 20. A central portion 54 of the grip plate52 is concavely formed or inwardly curved with respect to such centralplane, the indented portion 54 forming a central, rounded channel 54which slopes gradually at an angle in a direction of the upper end 19away from the display screen 15. The sculptured form of the grip plateblends, on left and right sides 56 and 57 of the data terminal 10,toward the underside 51 of the base shell 37, forming left and rightridges 58 and 59. A sloped head surface 61 extending transversely to thelongitudinal extent of the housing 12 forms a third, transverse ridge 62adjacent the upper end 19 of the housing 12. Resilient, molded left andright rubber gripping pads 63 and 64 feature a pattern of soft, parallelmolded ribs to make the ridges 58 and 59 more slip resistant.

The described, multi-ridged, sculptured grip plate 52 provides variouspositions in which an operator may hold or support the data terminal 10.The positions are best described in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In afirst support position the data terminal 10 may rest on an operator'supper leg adjacent the knee while the operator is seated. Thelongitudinally sloping concave channel 54 has the effect of tilting thedisplay screen toward the operator, providing an improved viewing angleof the display screen 15. The concave channel 54 conforms generally tothe shape of the leg.

In another position the data terminal may rest in an operator's hand,with the operator's thumb resting in the sculptured finger gripindentation 23 and pointing toward the upper end 19 of the housing 12.The operator's hand grips the terminal around the adjacent side of thehousing 12, either the left side 56 or the right side 57, depending onwhether the left or right hand is holding the data terminal 10. Eitherthree or four fingers grip the respective resilient gripping pad 63 or64, the index finger possibly gripping an upper edge 67 of the gripplate 52, or, alternatively, resting in a forward gripping indent 68 ofthe respective gripping pads 63 or 64.

In yet another supported operating position of the data terminal 10, theoperator's hand may be positioned, palm up, across the underside 51 ofthe base shell 37, with the operator's thumb resting along therespective gripping pad 63 or 64. The operator's fingers grip therespective left or right side 56 or 57 of the housing, with the fingertips resting in the respective finger grip indentation 23 adjacent thedisplay screen 15. The latter cross-grasping hold on the data terminalalso may take advantage of a handstrap 70 which may be attached to theunderside 51 of the base shell 37 to extend longitudinally from adjacentthe upper end 19 to adjacent the lower end 20 of the housing 12.

The handstrap 70 shown in FIG. 2 has a transverse upper attachment end71 with two transverse attachment points 72 adjacent the upper end 19.The attachment end 71 may be screwed, buttoned, clasped or otherwiseattached to the underside 51 of the base shell 37. A strap loop 73 ofthe attachment end 71 holds a strap ring 74 through which a strap 76 maybe looped. The strap 76 terminates adjacent the lower end 20 in abifurcated or forked strap loop 77 which is attached through a holderbracket 78 to the underside of the base shell 37. The holder bracket 78may be quickly fastened to the underside 51 by two screws 79 orequivalent fasteners and similarly removed for replacement or removal ofthe strap loop 77. When the strap 76 is looped through the ring 74 itmay be attached to itself via convenient hook and loop fasteners instrap regions 83 and 84, a predetermined length of the fastening area 84providing for adjusment of the effective length and tightness of thehandstrap 70. A hand pad 85 is contemplated to provide padding for anoperator's hand inserted between the handstrap 70 and the grip plate 52in the manner described.

The left and right ridges 58 and 59 together with the underside 51 ofthe base shell adjacent the lower end 20 of the housing 12 further forma rather stable pedestal for supporting the data terminal 10 against aflat surface of a table, for example. In the latter supported position,the angular shape of the ridges with respect to the display screen 15places the display screen at a tilted position toward the operator.

FIG. 3 is another view of the data terminal 10. In particular, theunderside 51 of the base shell 37 of the housing 12 is shown with thealready described combination handgrip base plate or grip plate 52 (seeFIG. 2) removed, and with the accessory pod 30 attached in its place.Both the grip plate 52 and the accessory pod 30 use common attachmentpoints 91 through which the respective accessory pod 30 or grip plate 52is screwed as a rectangular cover plate 92 to the underside 51 of thebase shell 37 to cover a base shell accessory opening 93 (see FIG. 11)through which one or more of various available accessories may becomeattached to the data terminal 10 as heretofore described.

The accessory pod 30 shows in particular the scanner 29 disposed behinda scanning window 94, by which bar code symbols may be scanned. Theaccessory pod 30 may further contain a radio frequency transceiver 96either in place of the code scanner or reader 29 or in combinationtherewith. When the radio transceiver 96 is incorporated into theaccessory pod 30 of the data terminal 10 in combination with the scanner29, a planar antenna 97 may be placed peripherally about the scanningwindow 94, or it may, for example, be molded into a plastic housing 98which forms the outer configuration of the accessory pod 30 shown inFIG. 3.

Laterally disposed on the accessory pod 30 are left and right scannertrigger buttons 101, only the one on the right side being visible inFIG. 3, by which an operator may trigger the operation of the scanner 29while pointing the data terminal 10 with the upper end 19 longitudinallyin the direction of the codes or information to be read.

The data terminal 10 is shown in FIG. 3 without a handstrap, thetransverse attachment points 72 are consequently not used and the holderbracket 78 is mounted to the underside 51 without retaining the strapholder 77. Both FIGS. 2 and 3 show a surface contact assembly 105disposed centered at the lower end 20 of the housing 12. The surfacecontact assembly 105 is an arrangement of a plurality of surfacecontacts 106 which are preferably arranged in two laterally offset rowsof the surface contacts 106, such that one of the contacts 106 in onerow is preferably centered on a gap between two of the contacts 106 inthe second row. This type of arrangement has been found to allow accessto a greater number of electrical connections within a comparativelysmall surface area of the surface contact assembly 105.

FIG. 4 in combination with FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrates best the use of thesurface contacts 106 in conjunction with a docking device which isdesignated generally by the numeral 110. The docking device 110 has ahousing 111 within which there is a single docking cavity 112. Thedocking cavity 112 has a width between opposite left and right hand sidewalls 113 and 114 to accept the width of the lower end 20 of the dataterminal 10. When the data terminal 10 is inserted into the cavity 112,opposite left and right hand lower sides 116 and 117 of the dataterminal 10 fit between the respective left and right hand side walls113 and 114. Upon insertion of the data terminal 10 in the dockingdevice 110, the left hand lower side 116 of the data terminal 10 restsin sliding contact against the left hand side wall 113, and the righthand lower side 117 is disposed correspondingly next to the right handside wall 114 of the cavity 112.

Centered in a back wall 121 of the cavity 112, there is disposed aspring contact assembly 122 which shows a plurality of spring contacts123 which are grouped in upper and lower contact rows 124 and 125,respectively. Upon insertion of the lower end 20 of the data terminal 10into the docking cavity 112 of the docking device 110, the springcontacts 123 in the upper row 124 engage with corresponding ones of thesurface contacts 106 in an upper row 127 of the surface contact assembly105. The surface contacts 106 disposed in a lower row 128 of the surfacecontact assembly 105 correspondingly make contact with the springcontacts 123 in the lower row 125 of spring contacts in the dockingdevice 110. Also, ridges 129 separate adjacent ones of the surfacecontacts 123 in each contact row 127 and 128. Thus, when the dataterminal 10 is inserted into the docking cavity 112, the spring contacts123 of the upper row 124 ride over the ridges 129 of the lower row 128of surface contacts 106 minimizing the risk of contact with other thandesignated surface contacts and spring contacts.

A ledge 132 within the docking cavity 112 shown in FIG. 4 corresponds toan offset 130 (see FIG. 6) in the molded shape of the lower end 20 ofthe housing 12. The stylus clips 33 and 34 are of course, not of theresilient and readily deformable shock protecting rubber material as themolded regions 47, 48 and 49, of the housing 12, for example. Thus, twoejector bars 133 and 134 may be activated to move upward against thoserigid housing portions at the respective locations of the stylus clips33 and 34. The ejector bars 133 and 134 are coupled via a lever linkage(not shown) in a conventional manner to a pushbutton 135, such that adownward push on the pushbutton 135 would cause an upward movement ofthe ejector bars 133 and 134 to raise the data terminal 10 upward withinthe docking cavity 112.

Again in reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, above a ledge 137 formed by anassembly block 138 for the spring contacts 123, a retainer bracket 136has a retainer prong 139 which extends upward. The retainer prong 139 isdisposed to fit within a central recess 140 that is formed by the holderbracket 78. The engagement of the retainer prong 139 with the recess 140of the holder bracket 78 retains the underside 51 of the base shell 37positioned to retain the spring contacts 123 of the docking device 110in contact with the surface contacts 106 to minimize any risk of contactbounce between the two when the docking device 110 is used in avibration prone environment, such as a vehicle, for example.

In reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an advantageous cooperative use of theresilient shock absorbing molded material regions 49 on the frontalhousing shell 14 can be explained. When the data terminal 10 is insertedinto the docking device 110 and an operator urges the data terminal 10toward the back wall 121 to capture the retainer prong 139 in the recess140 behind the holder bracket 78, the lower end 20 of the housing 12 ofthe data terminal 10 is urged away from the back wall 121 of the dockingcavity 112 by the combined spring force exerted by the spring contacts123. The spring force urges the lower end 20 toward and against frontcavity ledges 142 and 143. The molded resilient material of the topshell regions 49 resiliently contact the inner surfaces of the ledges142 and 143. This causes the retainer prong 139 to be resiliently urgedoutward against the holder bracket 78. The resilient retaining forcebetween the spring contacts 123 and the resilient material in theregions 49 generates a friction hold of the resilient material 49against the respective ledges 142 and 143. As a result, though simple inthe approach, the inserted data terminal 10 is retained in the dockingcavity with a measurable retaining force as a result of some compressionof the resilient material 49 against the ledges 142 and 143. Theretaining force secures the data terminal 10 within the docking cavity112 even though the docking cavity 112 only extends upward along thehousing 12 to terminate substantially at the holder bracket 78. Oneresulting advantage is that the docking device 110 does not interferewith either the grip plate 52 or with a more protruding accessory pod 30that may be attached to the data terminal 10. The lateral ledges 142 and143 are complemented in their resilient holding function by a transverseledge 144. However, the three ledges 142, 143 and 144 engage only theperipherally disposed resiliently molded portions of the frontal shell14 at the lower end of the housing, leaving exposed the keyboard 16 whenthe data terminal 10 is retained within the docking device 110. Also,the engagement between the spring contacts 123 in the docking device 110and the surface contacts 106 of the data terminal 10 remains bounceresistent while the data terminal 10 is retained in the docking device110. The engagement between the contacts 106 and 123 is used to coupleboth power and system communication to the data terminal 10. Thus, on areverse side of the docking device (not shown) typical power andcommunications connectors may couple the docking device 110, forexample, to RS 232, RS 485, Ethernet local area network (LAN) hard wiredcables, and also provide proper external power to operate the dataterminal 10 and to recharge its internal batteries during dockingperiods. The plurality of spring contacts 123, schematically simplified,represent such typical communications and power connections.

From the above description of a friction type retention mechanism forholding the data terminal 10 within the docking device or station 110depicted in FIG. 4, in further reference to FIG. 5, the significance ofthe bifurcated strap holder 77 becomes more apparent. The attachment ofthe strap 76 through the holder bracket 78 is convenient. However, thejust described second function of the holder bracket 78, namely tocontribute to the secure engagement of the spring contacts 123 with thesurface contacts 106, and to contribute to the retention of the dataterminal 10 in the docking device 110, is of yet greater significance.The bifurcated strap holder 77 satisfies all conditions withoutinterference with the docking procedures.

As already described in related prior applications, the resilientregions, including the material 49, may be integrated into the shape ofthe housing 12 in a co-molding process. The term "co-molding", as usedherein, refers to a known manufacturing process wherein a part, such asthe base shell 37, is first molded, for example, in an injection moldingprocess. In reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, FIG. 7 depicts a simplifiedcross-sectional view of a first mold 151. An upper mold part 152 isclosed against a lower mold part 153, and a thermoplastic moldingmaterial is injected. The injected material cools and hardens to form,for example, a part 154 in complementary upper and lower moldingcavities 155 and 156 of the respective upper and lower molds 152 and153.

Referring to FIG. 8, the molded part 154 is thereafter inserted into ansecond mold 157 which has molding cavities 158 and 159 in upper andlower mold shells 160 and 161, respectively. The cavities 158 and 159are larger and of altered shape when compared to the first cavities 155and 156. The molding cavities 158 and 159 not only receive the alreadymolded part 154, but also allow space for the injection of a secondmolding material, as, for example, thermoplastic rubber material 162.The molded part 154 is disposed within the second mold 157 to form withits outer surface 163 one boundary surface of the space into which thethermoplastic rubber 162 will be injected. Heat energy from the injectedhot rubber material 162 tends to plasticize the outer surface 163 of thealready molded part 154 to form a somewhat homogeneously linked boundaryregion along the surface 163 of the molded part 154. The boundary regionconforming with the surface 163 has been found to yield a strong bondbetween the two molded materials or parts 154 and 162. The bond isessentially leak proof. The co-molding process appears therefore idealfor forming various parts such as the described housing shells 14 and 37with a combination of rigid structural portions with impact resistanceand resiliently yielding elements for shock absorbing or sealingfunctions. The bond appears also not to be confined to a planar surfacealong the original surface 163. Instead the boundary surface 163 appearsconverted into a boundary region 163 having a depth along the originalsurface 163. The region 163 tends to permit a greater dispersion ofshear forces. As a result, impact forces tend to become more evenlydistributed and dispersed across the surface of the underlying co-moldedparts, such as the top and base housing shells 14 and 37, when comparedwith a typical surface-adhered shock absorbing material.

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict a multi-cavity docking station 165 which features,as a preferred example, four identical docking cavities 112, essentiallythe same as the single docking cavity 112 of the docking device 110 asdescribed with respect to FIG. 4. The cavities 112 are also definedwithin the bounds of the opposite side walls 113 and 114, the back wall121 and the forward ledges 142, 143 and 144. The communicativeengagement and retention of one or more of the data terminals 10 inrespectively one or more of the four docking cavities 112 proceeds asdescribed with respect to FIG. 4. FIG. 10 shows an underside of thedocking station 165 with a formed recess 164 in the underside tofacilitate cabling connections. The multiple-cavity docking station 165may provide, for example, multiple communications links, such as fourEthernet LAN connectors 166 that are coupled to corresponding ones ofthe spring contacts 123 in the respective four docking cavities 112. Aserial connector 167 and power connectors 168 provide communications andpower to each of the docking cavities 112.

FIG. 11 shows a composite pictorial representation of the base shell 37of the housing 12, and of major components that are assembled to thebase shell 37 as a subassembly 173 of the data terminal 10. Looking intothe base shell 37, an interior molded wall 174 divides the interior ofthe base shell 37 into a circuit board cavity 175 and into a batterycavity 176. The base shell accessory opening 93 is centered within thebase shell 37 and extends partly over the battery cavity 176. However,the wall 174 is rounded toward the battery cavity 176 and closes offaccess through the accessory opening 93 to the battery cavity 176. Aninput-output circuit board assembly 177 (I/O board assembly 177) isplaced into the circuit board cavity 175 and pushed toward the lower end20 of the base shell 37. A communications connector 178 becomes alignedwith and is pushed through a corresponding connector aperture 179 at thelower end 20 of the base shell 37. A rubber seal 180 becomes interposedbetween the inner surface of the base shell 37 and the connectormounting flange 181 to provide a weather resistent seal peripherallyabout the connector aperture 179. Once the I/O board 177 is movedforward to extend the communications connector 178 through the aperture179, the I/O board 177 is aligned with mounting bosses or standoffs 182and is fastened in position using assembly screws 183. Thecommunications connector 178 is also fastened with two screws 184 to thebase shell 37.

The I/O board 177 is of generally rectangular configuration, except fora lateral board extension 185 which supports battery contacts 186. Whenthe I/O board 177 is placed as described, the lateral board extension185 is disposed at the lower end of the battery cavity 176. A batterystop shim 187 is used between the base shell 37 and the lateral boardextension 185 to support the lateral board extension 185.

Mounted to an upper surface 188 of the I/O board 177 is a PCMCIAconnector 189. In a preferred embodiment the PCMCIA connector 189 is ofa double-slotted card connector capable of receiving two type II PCMCIAmemory cards. First and second vertically layered guide tracks 191 and192 receive first and second memory cards, respectively. A first cardrelease button 193 and a second card release button 194 extend outwardtoward the upper end 19 of the housing 12. The release buttons 193 and194 are accessible from the upper end of the housing 12 to selectivelyrelease a card from either one of the guide tracks 191 or 192 by a pushof the respective release button. After assembly of the I/O boardassembly 177 into the base shell 37, other components shown in FIG. 11below the base shell 37 are assembled from or to the exterior of thebase shell 37. A resilient pad or label 196 may be placed on theunderside of the I/O board assembly 177 aligned with a site of a backupbattery holder 197. The backup battery holder 197 is pushed into placeon the underside of the I/O board assembly 177. A 9-volt battery 198serves as backup battery for the data terminal 10. The backup battery198 is connected to a connector terminal on the I/O board assembly 177via a connector and power strap 199. A resilient gasket 205, coated witha contact adhesive, is placed about the periphery of the base shellaccessory opening 93. The annular outline of the gasket 205 indicatescomparatively the outline of the accessory opening 93 which is otherwisepartly concealed in the pictorial view of FIG. 11.

The surface contact assembly 105 includes on its underside a flexibleribbon cable 206 which is coupled at one end to the surface contacts 106and at the other end to a ribbon cable pin connector 207. Assembly ofthe surface contact assembly 105 necessitates a 180 degree turn of theassembly 105 in a horizontal plane and the insertion of the ribbon cableconnector 207 through a respective surface contact mounting opening 208(see FIG. 12) in the base shell 37. A resilient gasket 209 is firstplaced about such opening 208, such that the ribbon cable 206 extendsthrough an opening 210 in the gasket as well as through the opening 208in the base shell 37. The ribbon connector 207 is subsequently coupledto a mating connector socket on the I/O board assembly 177. The surfacecontact assembly 105 is fastened to the underside of the base shell 37by two screws 211. Each of the stylus clips 33, 34 is attached to theunderside of the base shell 37 at its lower end 20 by a single screw 212inserted through the respective stylus clip via an oversize accessaperture 213. A respective, inner corner formed in the base shell 37 asa seat for the stylus clips 33, 34 assures seating of the clips 33 and34 without rotation. An underside of the holder bracket 78 has moldedridges 214 which delineate the lateral boundaries of the recess 140 andmaintain separation of the bifurcated strap holder 77, thereby retainingthe recess 140 clear to accept the prong 139 as described above withrespect to FIG. 4. The holder bracket 78 is attached to the underside ofthe base shell 37 by two screws 79. The component identified by thenumeral 215 is a label or model identification plate 215 which isroutinely attached to the underside of the base shell 37. An I/Oconnector 217 mates with an I/O connector strip 218 on a main logicboard 219 shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 12 is a pictorial composite drawing of the components described inreference to FIG. 11, further depicting the undersides of the respectivecomponents including that of the base shell 37. The access opening 93 isdefined by a peripheral locator ridge 221, and the sealing gasket 205 isplaced peripherally just outside of the locator ridge 221. A curvedcontinuation of the cavity divider wall 174 provides a smooth insertionsurface for an elongate battery to be inserted into the battery cavity176. It is also to be noted that there are shown a combination of threebattery contact elements as the battery contacts 186. A third batterycontact element may be used in accordance herewith as a battery controlcontact element 222 for sensing the temperature of a rechargeablebattery during recharging operations.

FIG. 13 is a pictorial composite drawing of the frontal or upper housingshell 14, showing the housing shell 14 as viewed from above, looking atan interior or shallow cavity 226 of the upper housing shell 14. A majorportion adjacent the upper end 19 of the housing 12 is taken up by adisplay screen area 227 which is an opening 227 in the upper housingshell 14. A peripheral seal 228 is located and adhesively attached tothe inside of the upper housing shell 14 peripherally about the screenarea opening 227. A touch sensitive screen 229 having a touch sensitivescreen area 32 is aligned with and assembled to the screen area opening227. Since the touch sensitive area 32 is responsive to the touch of astylus, the sensing area 32 remains exteriorly exposed within the screenarea opening 227 after full assembly of the data terminal 10. An LCDscreen assembly 232, including a backing board and LCD address logic, isaligned with and assembled to a locating frame 233 such that circuitdevices facing the locating frame 223 become aligned with respectivedevice cavities 234, 235 or 236 in the locating frame 233, as anexample. The locating frame 233 is aligned with the main logic board219. An electroluminescent panel 239 (EL panel 239) is placed betweenthe main logic board 219 and the locating frame 233 just prior to theassembly of the locating frame 233, the LCD screen assembly 232 and theEL panel 239 to the main logic board 219. The assembled elements arecombined into a single larger subassembly by becoming sandwiched betweenthe main logic board 219 and the locating frame 233 when the main logicboard 219 is fastened to the locating frame 233 with screws 240. Amemory module 242 is plugged into a memory connector 243 and held to themain logic board 219 by one or more screws 244 or equivalent fasteners.

A sound transmissive, adhesively coated weather seal 246 is located andattached over a buzzer or speaker grid opening 247 disposed in the uppershell 14 adjacent the screen opening 227. A buzzer 249, which could be aminiature speaker, is mounted to the main logic board 219. When theassembled unit of the main logic board 219 and the locating frame 233 ispositioned and fastened into the upper shell 14, the buzzer 249 becomesaligned with and located directly adjacent the weather seal 246 and thebuzzer grid opening 247.

A key array 251 of keys 27 and a cursor key cluster 28 is placed intorespective key openings 252 and 253 in the upper shell 14. A cursorcontact spacer 254 is placed over the cursor key cluster 28. A weatherseal 255 peripherally seals the interior of the upper housing shell 14against moisture or environmental contamination. A key contact board 256with respective key contacts cooperatively acting in response to adepression of one of the keys 27 or the cursor keys 28 is disposedadjacent the key array 251 and is fastened to the interior of the uppershell 14 with screws 257. A key template 258 becomes adhesively attachedto the exterior surface of the upper housing shell 14 adjacent the lowerend 20. The key template 258 may be a decorative addition to theexterior of the housing 12, or the template may carry indicia of keyfunctions, particularly when selected ones of the keys 27 becomeprogrammed to serve more than one function. A keyboard ribbon cable 259is communicatively coupled to the main logic board 219.

FIG. 14 is a pictorial composite drawing of major subassemblies as theyare ultimately assembled to form the completed data terminal 10, asdepicted, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2 or 3. Major subassembliesheretofore described include the assembled upper or top housing shell 14and the assembled base shell 37 including the I/O board assembly 177. Abattery cavity cover 261 is of rectangular shape and sized to fit overthe battery cavity 176 in the base housing shell 37. The cover 261 has aplurality of peripherally spaced alignment notches 262 which slidinglyengage complementary tabs 263 in the base shell 37. The battery cover261 is interposed in the final assembly of the data terminal 10 betweena battery and the main logic board 219. The cover 261 features a numberof resilient tabs 264 which would engage and place a contact pressure onan inserted battery 265 (see FIG. 17) to effectively reduce a necessaryinsertion clearance for insertion of such battery to a minimum and tostably retain an inserted battery 265 within the battery cavity 176. Aguard and spacer block 267 is placed along the upper end 19 intoposition against the upper housing shell 14 during the attachment of theupper housing shell 14 to the base housing shell 37. The spacer block267 effectively closes off an edge of the main logic board 219 fromaccidental damage when the memory card door 42 is opened.

The upper housing shell 14 is attached to the base housing shell 37 by anumber of laterally spaced screws 268, by a single screw 269 whichextends through the base shell 37 through a boss 270 in the spacer block267 and into the upper housing shell 14 at the lower end 19 of thehousing 12. A second, single screw 271 clamps centrally the two housingshells 14 and 37 at the lower end 20 of the housing 12. A soft andflexible weather seal strip 273 is placed in a peripheral groove 274which extends along an edge 275 of the base shell 37 that engages andmatches with a correspondingly peripheral edge 276 of the upper shell14. The peripheral edge 275 features a locating ridge 277 with a numberof spaced notches 278. The notches 278 are locating notches for the sealstrip 273. Correspondingly spaced protrusions 279 molded onto theotherwise smooth seal strip 273 fit into the notches to securely retainthe seal strip 273 within the peripheral groove 274. A representativePCMCIA standard memory card 280 may be inserted into the card connector189 after assembly of the data terminal 10, but before the memory carddoor 42 at the upper end of the housing 12 is closed. The memory carddoor 42 and the battery door 41 are quickly opened or removed andre-attached with the respective quarter turn quick release lockassemblies 43.

FIG. 15 shows the memory card door 42 in greater detail. The door 42 isin major structural details identical to the battery door 41, except forits relatively larger size and a switch activator tab 283 and a memorycard retention tab 284 which extend from the memory card door 42 inwardinto the space of the I/O board assembly 177. Both the battery door 41and the memory card door 42 have a resilient, impact resistant co-moldedrubber exterior and integrated door seal 285. Also both the battery door41 and the memory card door 42 use the same quick release lockassemblies 43. The lock assembly 43 uses an outer quarter turn knob 286.The knob 286 has a stem 287 which protrudes through a bearing aperture288 in the respective door 41 or 42 into the interior of the housing 12.An O-ring seal 289 peripherally seals off the aperture 288 after theassembly of the knob 286 to the respective door 41 or 42. A springwasher 291 is placed interiorly over the stem 287 and molded flats 292on the end of the stem 287 engage corresponding flats 293 of a latchlever 294. A screw 295 attaches the latch lever 294 through a flatwasher 296 to the stem 287.

FIG. 16 shows details of the memory card door 42 from an exteriordirection, showing outer twist members 297 in the knob 286. The twistmembers 297 are preferably recessed within the confines of the knob 286.The knob 286 is recessed within a knob cavity 298 to protect the dataterminal 10 from damage during a fall should the data terminal 10 beimpacted suddenly against one or the other of the doors 41 or 42.

FIG. 17 is a composite drawing of the upper end 19 of the housing 12 ofthe data terminal 10 in combination with a battery 65 about to beinserted into the battery cavity 176. The view of the upper end 19 ofthe housing is shown with both the battery door 41 and the memory carddoor 42 removed from their respective cavity openings. The opened upperend 19 of the housing 12 shows the spacer block 267 in position adjacentthe upper housing shell 14. Further, an end portion of the I/O boardassembly 177 is shown, showing the memory card release buttons 193 and194 in greater detail. Markings on the release buttons 193 and 194 showthat the release button 193 releases a memory card from an upper guideslot while the release button 194 releases a lower memory card. A squareaperture 301 in an end wall 302 of the base housing shell 37 allowsaccess for the tab 283 to contact and activate a switch which isphysically located on the I/O board assembly 177 to signal that thememory card door 42 has been opened and removed. This signal allows thedata terminal 10 to save logical states and assume a sleep mode withoutloosing data and with the ability to resume operation upon closing ofthe memory card door 42. Optical, magnetic, inductive or other sensingmeans are known to detect a movement of a mechanical element withrespect to another. The use of the described sensing provision forsensing the removal of the door 42 to request a shutdown mode of thedata terminal 10 may consequently be modified accordingly.

FIG. 18 is a pictorial view of the handstrap 70 removed from itsattachment to the base shell 37. The handstrap 70 shows the transverseupper attachment end 71 with the two transverse attachment points 72.The strap loop 73 of the attachment end 71 retains the described strapring 74. The strap 76 is inserted and adjusted in length by pulling moreor less of the length of the strap 76 through the strap ring 74. Thestrap 76 terminates in the bifurcated or forked strap loop 77 which maybe placed as shown over the holder bracket 78 with the desirable resultsas described herein. The holder bracket 78 may be quickly fastened orremoved from the data terminal 10 by the described screws 79 orequivalent fasteners. When the strap 76 is looped through the ring 74 itmay be attached to itself via convenient hook and loop fasteners in thestrap regions 83 and 84. The length of the fastening area 84 is chosenfor an effective length adjustment range of the handstrap 70. The handpad 85 provides cushioning for an operator's hand when inserted betweenthe handstrap 70 and the data terminal 10.

FIG. 19 shows the handstrap 70 which is identical in function to thehandstrap 70 described with respect to FIG. 18, but which includes amodified transverse upper end attachment 305 in lieu of the transverseend attachment 71. The attachment points 72 remain nominally spaced asshown in FIG. 18. Also the strap loop 73 holds the strap ring 74. Thetransverse attachment 305 is, however, bifurcated to straddle anaccessory pod (not shown), when an accessory pod, such as the accessorypod 30 in FIG. 3, is used in lieu of the multi purpose grip plate 52depicted in FIG. 2. If desired, the handstrap 70 as depicted in FIG. 19may be used in with either the accessory pod 30 or the multi-functiongrip plate 52.

FIG. 20 is a diagram of electronic functions which operate and controlthe operation of the data terminal 10 in accordance herewith. Thefunctions depicted are essentially found on the logic board 219. Apreferred microprocessor device is an AMD 386microprocessor 310 (MP386). An address bus 311, a data bus 312 and a control bus 313 couplethe microprocessor 310 to a computer device 314 referred to as a "SCAMP"(SCAMP 82C315). The data bus 311 further couples the microprocessor 310to a DRAM memory device 315 (DRAM). The memory device 242 is removablymounted to the logic board or main circuit board 219 itself through thetypical sub-circuit connector socket 243, not separately shown in FIG.20. The connector socket 243 is a typical device socket which may becommercially obtained to couple a subcircuit, such as the memoryextension board 242 to the main circuit board 219.

The SCAMP device 314 is coupled by shared data and address buses 321 and322, respectively, to the I/O board assembly 177, also referred to as anI/O connector board 177. Connection to the I/O connector board 177 ismade through the I/O connector 218 and is schematically shown as aconnecting function 218. The SCAMP device 314 is further coupled througha control bus 323 to a communications interface device 325. Row andcolumn address buses 326 and 327 of main application memory devices 315and 242 are addressed through the SCAMP device 314. The I/O connector orconnection 218 interfaces with the application microprocessor 310 viathe SCAMP device 314 and the communications interface device 325.Consequently, the connection 218 is further coupled to the SCAMP device314 by a local address bus 328 and to the communications interfacedevice 325 by an interrupt request bus 329. Flash memory 330 containsinitial start-up control instruction for the applications microprocessor310. The flash memory 330 is coupled through the SCAMP device 314 viathe shared data and address buses 321 and 322, respectively, and mayinclude a buffer 331 (BF), coupled to the address bus 322. Input andoutput functions of the I/O connection 218 are best explained in briefreference to FIG. 21.

FIG. 21 depicts functional elements which are, according to thedescribed embodiment, mounted on the special input-output functioninterface board 177 ("I/O BD"), further referred to as I/O board 177. Anadvantage of the use of the I/O board 177 as an addendum to, but as aseparate structural element from, the main circuit board 219, forexample, is an increased ease of assembly and a promotion of modularconcepts. A use of modular concepts permits the data terminal 10 to beadapted to special uses. In reference to FIGS. 20 and 21, the preferredfunctional layout of a combination of the main circuit board 219 and theI/O board 177 shows that substantially all internal operationalfunctions of the data terminal 10, those which are expected to remainthe same for most, if not all, applications, are supported by the maincircuit board 219. On the other hand, input-output functions may varyamong different special use applications of the data terminal 176. Theless permanently defined input-output functions are therefore found onthe I/O board 177. The data terminal 10 may therefore undergo a basicfunctional modification by the removal of the I/O board 177 for adifferent I/O board with different input-output functions. Components onthe main circuit board 219 need therefore not be changed. However, withchanged input-output functions and parameters, a control program whichwould be resident in the flash memory 330 may need to be updated toaccount for changes in operating default settings of now differentinput-output functions as provided by a different I/O board.

Physically and communicatively, the I/O board 177 is coupled through theI/O connection 218 to the main circuit board 219. The connection 218 maybe established between mating I/O connectors 336 and 337 mounted,respectively, to the main circuit board 219 and the I/O board 177. Therespective I/O connectors 336 and 337 couple and extend the data andcontrol buses 321 and 322, the local address bus 328 and the interruptrequest bus 329 to the I/O board 219. The data and control buses 321,322, the local address bus 328 and the interrupt request bus 329 aredepicted in FIG. 21 as an I/O signal and control bus 340.

A basic version of the I/O board 177 is preferred to includeinput-output functions as shown in FIG. 21. An Ethernet controller 345is a commercially available Ethernet controller device. The Ethernetcontroller 345 is communicatively coupled through the I/O signal andcontrol bus 340 to the data terminal 10. Communication between externaldevices and the data terminal 10 is obtained through a 28-pin dataconnector 178 and a bank of coupling elements, such as surface contactassembly 105 of the data terminal 0. Signal pairs 348 and 349 from theEthernet controller 345 are preferably coupled through an isolationtransformer device 350 to external communications couplers, such as tothe data connector 178 or to the surface contact assembly 105. It hasbeen determined that parallel connections to both the typical 28-pintype communications connector 178 and surface contacts, such as thesurface contact assembly 105 (see, for example, FIG. 2) increases theusefulness of the data terminal 10. Consequently, communications leads351 and 352 on an external side of the isolation transformer 350 arecoupled to respective terminal contacts of both the 28-pin connector 178and of the bank of surface contacts 106.

A second desirable communications controller on the I/O board 177 is aDual UART device 355. The Dual UART (Universal Asynchronous Receive andTransmit) device 355 is coupled internally of the data terminal 10 tothe I/O signal and control bus 340 and for external communications torespective RS 232 and RS 485 control circuit devices 356 and 357,respectively. In furtherance of advantages obtained through a dualcoupling function via both the connector 178 and surface contacts 106,standard connections of the RS 232 and RS 485 devices, 356 and 357, arealso contemplated to be coupled to designated control and dataterminations on the 28-pin connector 178 and respective ones of thesurface contacts 106. The portable data terminal 10 may typically not beregarded as the type of device the usefulness of which may be enhancedby linking provisions to communication networks such as Ethernet.However, it has been discovered that a full function of the dataterminal 10 is implemented only when an efficient operation ofcollecting data at the working level of a complex data system issupplemented by equally efficient communications with the data system.In furtherance of this, Ethernet capability is found to provide acommunications link of significance. Ethernet may be used, to give butone example, for data exchange with a data system external to the dataterminal 10, during docking periods, for example, when the batteries 265are being recharged. External power may temporarily be applied to thedata terminal 10 while the data terminal is located in the dockingdevice 110 (see FIG. 4). Such external power may be used to conservepower consumption from the power pack 265 and to recharge the power pack265 as needed.

A battery charging control circuit 359 is desirably located on the I/Oboard 177 in that battery charging connections are made through selectedterminations of the surface contacts 106. Other external connections,such as any convenient power plug, may of course be provided in additionto designated ones of the surface contacts 106. Smart battery chargingcontrol circuits 359 are known and are desirably used within the dataterminal 10 itself to provide protection to the data terminal 10 fromdamage due to improper charging procedures or failure of controls thatmay otherwise be available in standard battery recharging apparatus (notshown). The control circuit 359 has the function of limiting themagnitude of a charging current that may be admitted to batteries of apower pack 265, for example.

The I/O board 177 is also found to desirably contain a communicationscontrol interface device 360 to one or more PCMCIA card slots,preferably the two card connectors 191 and 192, as described above withrespect to FIG. 11. Though PCMCIA cards may serve to provide addedstorage capacity to apparatus, such as the data terminal 10, knowndiverse uses for PCMCIA cards most properly allow these cards to beconsidered data input and output devices, rather than primarily datastorage devices. In reference to FIG. 20, a switch 332 may be depressedto recognize a special use card in the respective card slot 191, forexample, such that the flash memory 330 on the main circuit board 219may be updated whenever the presence of a special memory card isdetected by the switch 332.

The I/O board 177 further features a pod connector 365, through whichconnection is made to the respective accessory panel or pod 30 and toany respective data collection or communications device locatedtherewith. The pod connector 365 is communicatively coupled to the I/Osignal and control bus 340, just as the Dual UART device 355 and theEthernet controller 345. The accessory pod 30 may, for example, containthe described bar code scanner 29. The accessory pod or panel 30 mayinstead house data communications apparatus, such as an RF transceiver,or a modem. The accessory pod 30 may be controlled internally by amicroprocessor circuit of its own for processing data in accordance withthe function of the respective accessory device, the processed data thenbeing transferred to the data terminal 10 via the I/O signal and controlbus 340. However, data flow between the data terminal 10 and theaccessory pod 30 is preferably controlled by the data terminal 10 bycontrol signals from the main circuit board 219 applied via the I/Osignal and control bus 340.

Referring back to FIG. 20, the depicted circuit functions show certainchanges and improvements over the circuit functions described in theprior application, Ser. No. 08/048,873, filed Apr. 16, 1993, whileretaining the inventive features disclosed therein. Simplificationsinclude a deletion of an optional ROM device, in that the flash memory330 includes the BIOS for operating the main logic board 219. Also, amemory refresh operation is advantageously executed by the SCAMP device314 and is not separately shown. An advantageous change provides for aVGA controller device 366 to be addressed directly by the applicationsmicroprocessor 310, rather than through the SCAMP device 314, as shownby the routing of the address and data buses 311 and 312, respectively.Video DRAM 367 is coupled directly and interacts directly with the VGAcontroller 366.

The communications interface device 325 is linked directly with address,data and control buses to both the applications microprocessor 310 and amaintenance microprocessor 368. Static RAM 369 is coupled throughrespective address and data buses 371 and 372 to the maintenancemicroprocessor 368. The maintenance microprocessor 368 controlsgenerally maintenance functions such as an LCD contrast control function375 ("LCD CON-EL CONTROL") which further represents an EL panelbacklighting control for the LCD screen 15. A further control functionfor the maintenance microprocessor 368 is to monitor the remainingcharge or state of charge of the battery or power pack 265. Themaintenance microprocessor 368, in functioning as a relatively slowoperating control microprocessor, obtains its reset and start up codethrough the respective maintenance data bus 372 as addressed by therespective maintenance address bus 371 from the static ram device 369.The maintenance microprocessor device 368 consequently retains itsoperating code independently of battery voltage levels. In case ofmemory failure, the maintenance memory 369 may be renewed or rewrittenby the applications microprocessor 310 pursuant to programs stored inthe flash memory 330, or as further updated via the PCMCIA specialfunctions available through the connector 191 and a special updatingcard. The maintenance microprocessor 368 further shows an interruptrequest bus 385 which is used in the power maintenance function tocommunicate possible alarm or interrupt conditions between themicroprocessor 368 and the communications interface circuit 325. Anaudio circuit device 386 ("AUDIO") is shown coupled directly to themaintenance microprocessor 368 and the communications interface device325.

A control bus 407 couples the communications interface device 325 to theVGA controller 366. The switch 332 is manually activated instead ofdirectly by a special memory card, though such an interaction isconsidered to be an option. In a preferred embodiment, the switch 332may now be operated manually in conjunction with an ON/OFF switch of thedata terminal 10 when a special memory card is present and the memoryaddress function is to be altered through the memory card. Though anactive pen operated digitizing array may be used, the described touchsensitive pad 229 is preferred as an overlay over the LCD screen 15. Ananalog-to-digital signal converter 408 (A/D CONV) is coupled to thetouch sensitive screen or pad 229. A touch screen control line 409 leadsto the converter 408, and digital signals are obtained via the data bus410, as obtained from an analog voltage output via line 411 from thetouchpad 229.

FIG. 22 is a flow chart of an interaction between both a control programas it may reside in memory of the data terminal 10, and certain circuitstates of the circuit functions of the circuit board 219, for example.The operation of the data terminal 10 is comprised of separate functionsof executing application programs or "performing application tasks" suchas collecting, processing or communicating data messages, and acontinuous power management procedure. Pursuant to the unique powermanagement procedure which is enabled by the described circuit function,power to the data terminal 10 may be shut down any time the dataterminal 10 is not in use, or during any of a number of alarm or defectconditions. Such defect condition may occur when the operating voltagefalls below a desirable minimum voltage, or when an operator seeksaccess to the data terminal 10 in a manner which may cause aninadvertent power failure.

Referring specifically to FIG. 22, hardware activity may activate thedata terminal 10, for example, by an operator "turning on" the dataterminal 10. When a "CTS" (clear to send) signal goes from low to high,power is applied and the microprocessors 310 and 368 may be reset. Atthat time the software or the control functions of the data terminal 10take over. The voltage is checked and would be compared to a presetminimum (or even maximum) voltage If the voltage check is "OK" a memorycheck is performed. If the memory check is passed, all states of thedata terminal 10 prior to shut down are restored ("RESTORE STATE").Thus, whatever operation may have been performed prior to shutdown, thedata terminal 10 becomes enabled to resume that operation. Thus, unlessother operations are initiated, the ("RESUME") step is executed. If amemory check fails, a full reset will be performed.

Further in reference to FIG. 22, a timed activity monitoring functionmay be executed by the maintenance processor 368 (see FIG. 20). Forexample, if there is no activity within ten seconds, the states of thedata terminal 10 are again saved, as well as memory and data states, andthe data terminal 10 is powered down, at which time all softwarefunctions necessarily stop because of lack of power. It now takesmechanical or hardware action, as explained, to again power up the dataterminal 10. However, because all states are saved, operation of thedata terminal 10 is resumed at the point of operation at which powerdown operation was initiated.

If there is system activity, or if there has been system activity withina preset monitoring period, such as the ten second period, the dataterminal 10 will continue to perform its tasks. Voltage levels arepolled in preferred intervals. A preferred interval is once everymillisecond or 1000 times per second. This polling activity is anactivity performed by the maintenance microprocessor 368. As soon as alow voltage condition is detected, the shut down sequence is initiated.The active states are saved to shadow ram, and the data terminal 10 ispowered down by removing power. Further activity stops, but the mostrecent active states of all devices including the I/O states, arepreserved. Thus, when an operator pushes a designated keyboard functionswitch, for example, the operation of the data terminal 10 may beresumed.

FIG. 23 shows preferred functions of the communications interfacecircuit 325. The respective address, data and control buses. 311, 312and 313, from the microprocessors 310 and 368 lead into a processorinterface and contention resolution circuit 415. From the interface 415,an address bus 416 and a data bus 417 provide for selective addressingand operation of an A/D converter function 418, a sleep mode function419, the control 420 of interaction between the applications andmaintenance microprocessors, 310 and 368, the maintenance microprocessorinterrupt control 421 and a general system control function 422 whichaddresses and operates the various other functions as hereinbeforedescribed, and through which status data may be received via status bus423. The communications interface circuit 415 is further improved with amaintenance processor master mode function 425. The master mode function425 may be triggered by a signal from the communications interfacecircuit 325 to the applications microprocessor 310 to tri-state orneutralize output signals from the microprocessor 310. The tri-statingsignal is applied via control line 426, effectively rendering theapplications microprocessor 310 non-functional. The procedure may beused in conjunction with a special memory card on start up, bydepressing the switch 332 shown in FIG. 20 in conjunction with poweringup the data terminal 10. The procedure may be used when the BIOS programresiding in the flash memory device 330 (FIG. 20) has become defectiveand is to be restored, or when a new BIOS is to be loaded into the flashmemory device 330. Accordingly, during such controlled start up, themaintenance microprocessor 368 takes over the setup function of the dataterminal, acting in place of the applications microprocessor 310 tocause the microprocessor 310, upon a further reset command, to addressthe special memory card from the card slot 191, for example, instead offetching instructions from the flash memory 330.

FIG. 24 shows details of the master mode function 425. Control, data andaddress codes from the maintenance microprocessor 368 through bus 427are converted via respective control address and data communicationsfunctions and through a state machine 428, though at the rate of themicroprocessor 368 through output buses 429 as if stemming from theapplications processor 310.

FIG. 25 shows a sequence diagram whereby in step 431 the communicationsinterface 325 checks the special key and enables the master mode justdescribed. In step 432 the microprocessor 310 is disabled by thetri-state mode via a signal over control line 426. In step 433, themicroprocessor 368 takes over as described to set flags and registers todirect communications of the microprocessor 310 to the special PCMCIAcard at the slot 191, for example. In step 434, the microprocessor 310is reset, and while reset is taking place, the maintenance or controlmicroprocessor 368 disables, through step 435, the signal at 426,returning the applications microprocessor 310 to its normal operation.However, because of the specially set flags and registers, the SCAMPdevice 314 directs the request for data from the microprocessor 310,instead of to the flash memory 330, to a PCMCIA controller 436 locatedon the I/O board 177.

FIG. 26 shows a data flow during such altered address states. Themicroprocessor 310 bypasses the flash memory 330 and, instead, sends andreceives data and address codes through the SCAMP device 314 andrespective buses 321 and 322 and through the controller 436 from aspecial memory card 437.

In view of the above detailed description of a preferred embodiment andmodifications thereof, various other modifications will now becomeapparent to those skilled in the art. The claims below encompass thedisclosed embodiments and all reasonable modifications and variationswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable data collection terminal comprising:ahousing including a display screen and a keyboard having a plurality ofkeys disposed in a frontal side of the housing, and a non-volatilememory; the display screen including graphic data input means disposedcoincident with a screen area of the display screen; and a powermanagement circuit means including means for saving electrical states,including input and output device states, to the non-volatile memorywherein said means includes means for trapping input-output instructionsand for shadow writing such trapped input-output instructions to thenon-volatile memory during normal operations of the portable datacollection terminal; said power management circuit means furtherincluding means for shutting down the portable data collection terminalduring periods of inactivity and for reactivating the portable datacollection terminal by attempted input through one of the plurality ofkeys, the power management circuit means being adapted to recognize suchfirst attempted input as a command to resume operation instead of aninput of the function normally executed by the respective one of theplurality of keys.
 2. The portable data collection terminal according toclaim 1, comprising further an accessory pod including a handgripextension pod for holding a selected accessory device of the datacollection terminal, the handgrip extension pod having a width less thana width of the housing and being disposed on an underside of the housingand beneath the frontal side of the housing, whereby the display screenis protected from accidental contact by a user when holding onto thehandgrip extension pod.
 3. The portable data collection terminalaccording to claim 2, wherein the accessory device is a scanner adaptedto read indicia disposed on a surface external and separate from theportable data collection terminal such that the portable data collectionterminal does not operably contact such surface.
 4. The portable datacollection terminal according to claim 1, further including a recessedpen gripping holder molded into an end of the housing wherein the pengripping holder comprises a pair of opposing stylus clips in combinationwith a stylus cavity.
 5. The portable data collection terminal accordingto claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a memory card doorhaving a seal and means for signaling the power management circuit meansas to movement of the memory card door from a locked position.
 6. Theportable data collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein thehousing further includes co-molded shock protection that provides asomewhat homogeneously linked boundary region between an earlierinjection molded part and a subsequently molded part.
 7. The portabledata collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard isconnected in parallel with the graphic data input means, the keyboardand the graphic data input means structured to operate independently ofeach other with separate interrupt signals, such that operation mayinstantaneously switch between the keyboard and the graphic data inputmeans.
 8. The portable data collection terminal according to claim 7,comprising further a handgrip extension pod for holding a selectedaccessory device of the data collection terminal, the handgrip extensionpod having a width less than a width of the housing and being disposedon an underside of the housing and beneath the frontal side of thehousing, whereby the screen is protected from accidental contact by auser when holding onto the handgrip extension pod.
 9. The portable datacollection terminal according to claim 7, wherein the graphic data inputmeans is a touch sensitive screen.